The Outback

The Outback

Queensland's Outback region is a vast and exciting place, filled with real Crocodile Dundee types and people used to relying on each other in isolated townships. If you choose to tour this vast, rugged region, there are two popular routes.

The Capricorn Highway Route

Heading inland from Rockhampton along Route 66 means you can stop at the gem fields near the towns of Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie, and the Willows. These towns have a Wild West, frontier feel, and the 25,000-acre area around them comprises one of the world's richest source of sapphires. Commercial and tourist mines are scattered throughout the fields, so you can fossick for your own gems; if you make a find you can visit one of the 100-plus gem cutters in the area to have your jewel cut and polished. At Gemfest (07/4985-4375. www.gemfest.com.au), held the second week of August, miners, merchants, and traders converge to swap information, showcase local gems, and sell or barter their wares. Before continuing to Longreach, 400 km (320 mi) to the west, you might think about swinging southward and spending a night or two at Carnarvon Gorge. This amazing series of towering sandstone cliffs, which stretches for more than 30 km (19 mi), is the most visited site in Carnarvon National Park. Walking trails here lead to the Gallery and Cathedral Cave, painted with ancient Aboriginal rock art (in the rainy season, these can be washed away -- phone for condition reports). There are a campsite and other accommodations; for details, contact the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (07/4984-4505 or 07/4622-4266. www.epa.qld.gov.au). Carnarvon National Park is 230 km (144 mi) south of Emerald via the Gregory and Dawson highways.

At Longreach, you'll find one of the highlights of the Queensland Outback, the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame & Outback Heritage Centre, which brings to life the early days of European settlers in Australia. Exhibits on everything from Aboriginal history to droving (moving cattle from town to market over vast areas of land), mustering (rounding up cattle), and bush crafts pay tribute to the pioneers who sought to tame the Australian Outback. In winter months, a twice-daily stockman show provides bargain-priced thrills (A$5). There's a café, large souvenir and gift outlet, and an RM Williams bush-gear store on-site. Off Landsborough (aka Matilda) Hwy., Longreach. 07/4658-2166. www.outbackheritage.com.au. A$22.50. Daily 9-5.

If you continue northwest of Longreach for another 186 km (115 mi), you'll come to the town of Winton, home of the interactive Waltzing Matilda Centre. An art gallery, history museum, restaurant, and sound-and-light show are all here, as is the Qantilda Museum, a diverse collection of Outback pioneering memorabilia. Elderslie St., Winton. 07/4657-1466. www.experiencewinton.com.au. A$19. Apr.-Oct., daily 8:30-5; Nov.-May, daily 9-4.

A bit farther north, just outside the little town of Kyuna, you can stop to dip your toes in Combo Waterhole, where A. B. "Banjo" Paterson wrote the lyrics for "Waltzing Matilda," Australia's unofficial national anthem.

The Overlander's Highway Route

Heading west from Townsville on the Flinders Highway (aka the Overlander's Way) will give you the chance to stop at the once-prosperous gold-mining town of Charters Towers, arguably the most beautiful Queensland inland city, with more than 60 buildings of historical significance. Farther west is Hughenden, known for the many ancient fossils found in the region. "Hughie," a Muttaburrasaurus skeleton, is on display at the Flinders Discovery Centre (37 Gray St., Hughenden. 07/4741-1021. www.hughenden.com. Daily 9-5. A$3.50), along with natural history, gem and fossil exhibits, and a shop with tour brochures, local and regional maps, and souvenirs.

From Hughenden, continue via Cloncurry to Mount Isa, a city of 22,000 people from 50 different nations, where you'll find the sprawling Mount Isa Mine, Australia's deepest underground mine and one of the world's largest producers of copper, silver, lead, and zinc. The southern hemisphere's biggest rodeo takes place here each July or August (1800/763361 or 07/4743-2706 www.isarodeo.com.au). Mount Isa is also a good jumping-off point for exploring the spring-fed rivers and gorges of Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park (07/4722-5224 (weekdays 10-4); 13-1304 (permits). www.epa.qld.gov.au), where you can canoe amid freshwater crocodiles and camp in the wilderness for A$4.50 per person, per night (BYO tents, gear and water). Mount Isa is also home to the Outback at Isa, an interpretative center in the heart of Mount Isa, which has fossil exhibits from the Riversleigh Fossil site, some 300 km (186 mi) away. Here, you can participate in the Hard Times Underground Mine Experience, where you'll dress in a miner's outfit -- hard hat, white suit, and headlamp -- and tour a "mock-up" mine shaft 49 1/2 feet below the surface. 19 Marion St., Mount Isa. 1300/659660 or 07/4749-1555. www.outbackatisa.com.au. Mine and all museums A$55, mine only A$45. Daily 8:30-5.

If you're a fan of the movie Crocodile Dundee, you might want to head south from Cloncurry via Route 66 to the tiny dusty town of McKinlay. This little hamlet's claim to fame is the low-framed, rustic Walkabout Creek Hotel (Middleton St., McKinlay. 07/4746-8424), featured in the movie.

When traveling any of these routes by car, take the necessary precautions. Use a four-wheel-drive vehicle -- some roads are unpaved and become slippery after it rains. Always carry spare water, a first-aid kit, a good local map, and sufficient fuel to get to the next town (which may mean carrying spare gas cans). If you're traveling into remote areas, advise local police or another responsible person of your travel plans and report back to them when you return. If you have an on-road emergency, call 000 from the nearest phone to reach an ambulance or the police.

If you prefer to let someone else do the driving, you can travel through the Outback by bus or train. Greyhound Australia (13-1499. www.greyhound.com.au) services all towns on the Flinders Highway between Townsville and Mount Isa, with connections to the Northern Territory. It also travels between Brisbane and Cloncurry, via Charleville, Longreach, and Winton, and from Rockhampton to Longreach via the gemstone towns. Queensland Rail's Spirit of the Outback travels from Brisbane, via Rockhampton to Longreach (connecting with the bus to Winton) twice weekly, departing Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Westlander links Brisbane with Charleville on Tuesdays and Thursdays; The Inlander travels from Townsville to Mount Isa every Thursday and Sunday. Phone Traveltrain at 1300/131722 or contact www.qr.com.au